


Day of the Dove:  Compromising Situations

by Cheree_Cargill



Series: Glimpses of a Life [62]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 12:46:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15073454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheree_Cargill/pseuds/Cheree_Cargill
Summary: After the defeat of the entity that generated anger and fear, Kirk is forced to deal with what to do with the Klingons on board and how to get back to  Federation space.





	Day of the Dove:  Compromising Situations

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: The Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount Studios, Inc. The story contents are the creation and property of Cheree Cargill and is copyright (c) 2018 by Cheree Cargill. This story is Rated PG.

_Stardate:_ _5052._ _8_. _First Officer Spock recording._

 

I once heard Dr. McCoy comment that something was "déjà vu all over again". It was such a nonsensical adage that I dismissed it as just one of the doctor's random sayings. However, after the past few days, I begin to see a pattern that does indeed seem that we are repeating incidents that we have already experienced.

For the second time in two months, we find ourselves with enemy aliens on board the ship. I do not refer especially to the Romulans and Klingons which we have taken aboard, but also to the non-corporeal beings which have invaded the ship. We had supposed that we had seen the last of the Gorgan after destroying the cavern in which it dwelt on Triacus, but the entity that came aboard after we were lured to Beta XII-A was remarkably like that creature. Was the energy creature that held us in its sway a remaining part of the Gorgan or a member of its species or something else entirely? I recall the creature on Aurelius that called itself Redjac which also fed on hatred and fear. Were they the same species or another energy creature with no relation?

In any case, it had the same ability to manipulate minds and matter to a remarkable degree in order to create a feeding ground for itself and it operated over a large … territory for lack of a better word, as it drew both us and the Klingons to the barren planet for a confrontation. I would have welcomed the chance to study it further, had it not been so counter-productive to do so. We expelled it from the ship and I do not know where it went after it left us. Off to find new prey I suspect.

As soon as the being left us, its influence over transmuted matter was gone as well. Swords became phasers and blasters again, the ship dropped out of high warp and the helm became operational again, and the trapped part of our crew was freed from below decks. I believe that the entity caused them to go there by controlling their minds and actions, otherwise it would have been highly unusual for the majority of our crew to find themselves at once in the secondary hull.

However, the problems that remained with the ship were very real indeed. The extended period of Warp 9 had nearly exhausted our dilithium crystals. We were able to maintain Warp 2, but Mr. Scott warned that we dare not go faster or we risked burning them out and having to rely on battery power. It took Mr. Chekov some time to pinpoint our current position. We were in the far "south" of Federation space, near Tholian territory which thankfully we did not enter, given the Tholians' zero tolerance for any incursions into their space. But we were also far from any starbase or outpost and especially one where we could refuel.

And there was the problem of what to do with the Klingons. There were thirty-eight of them on board. An agreement between Captain Kirk and Commander Kang kept both crews in a tenuous truce for our mutual protection, but neither side trusted the other and there were too many of them to keep in the brig, something which would lead to rebellion on the Klingons' part in any case. We ended up housing the Klingons in the shuttlecraft bay, providing them bedding and life essentials, while Kang and his wife Mara, the only female among them, were given guest quarters, the same one that had been used by the Romulan Commander Charvanek not long before. Unfortunately, we were unable to program the replicators with Klingon suitable food, but the galley was able to come up with semi-palatable substitutes which the Klingons tolerated but did not enjoy. It was the best that we could do.

Guards were posted and we lived on high alert, but Kang's iron-fisted control over his men kept trouble at bay while he and Captain Kirk conferred over a solution to our mutual problems. We could not simply drop the Klingons at a Federation starbase (at such time as we could arrive at one) and leave them in custody there as captured enemies. The Organian Peace Treaty prevented any acts of war between the two space empires, thus they were not prisoners but uneasy guests aboard our ship.

After the Klingons were settled in, Kirk and Kang and our respective highest-ranked officers met for conference to discuss a compromise solution. We had all agreed to set aside hostilities and Kang had a suggestion for our captain.

"I know of a trading outpost, Kirk, on Verex III," he said, his dark face pensive but not unfriendly. "It is in Federation space but on the very edge of Klingon territory. It is in an area of space that has no clear ownership and is run by the Orion Syndicate."

"The Orions are slavers," Kirk objected, frowning.

"They are indeed, Captain, however, Verex is in essentially neutral territory," Kang replied. "We find the Orions to be without honor and repugnant in their business practices, but this planet would serve both of our purposes. You could beam my crew down and be rid of us – and we of _you_ – in a place that would allow one of our ships to pick us up without provocation on either side. And you would be able to resupply and buy new dilithium crystals from the ship merchants there, thus solving your engineering problem. We could go our separate ways and live to fight another day."

The Captain sat back in his chair, pulling at his lower lip for a few seconds, then said, "Allow me to discuss it with my senior officers."

"If you must, Kirk, although I do not find it necessary for a commander to consult lower officers in his decisions."

"Nevertheless," Kirk answered tightly. "Excuse us for a moment." He got up and motioned myself and Mr. Scott into the corridor. Once there, he said, "Well, gentlemen? Opinions?"

"I see no logical alternative," I replied. "It _would_ solve our immediate problems."

"Aye," seconded Scott. "We've _got_ to replace those crystals. They won't last long enough to get us back home. Without them, we'd be left hangin' here in space forever! But can we trust those devils? They might attack us at any time!"

"I think not, Mr. Scott," I responded. "It is in their best interest as well to get off the _Enterprise_. And Commander Kang does not have the manpower to match our crew strength. There are only thirty-eight of them and over 430 of us."

"From what I've heard about Klingons, though--" the engineer began to argue.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Kirk cut in, ending Scott's incipient tirade. He stepped up to a wall intercom and punched the button with his fist. "Kirk to Navigation."

"Aye, Keptin, Chekov here."

"Lay in a course for Verex III, Mr. Chekov. Best speed. Kirk out."

And we walked back into the conference room to seal the deal with the Klingons.

* * *

Captain Kirk and I and the small group of security people stopped before the guarded cabin and nodded for the chief security man to step aside. The Captain then pressed the buzzer for a second and opened the door.

Inside the two Klingon officers turned to face him, the woman looking expectant.

"We are ready to beam you down, Commander," Kirk said. "Verex Control has made arrangements for your accommodations and we're transporting your crew down now."

"Then we are ready as well," replied the tall, powerfully built Klingon. The expression on his dark face was difficult to read; it certainly was not defeat. Satisfaction, perhaps. Despite his stern demeanor, his expression was far from hostile.

Silence reigned in the small room for a moment then Kirk said uneasily, "I'm sorry things have turned out this way, Kang. I want to thank you for suggesting this place. I hope you all make it home okay."

The Klingon nodded. "And I hold the same hope for you, Captain. It is an honorable outcome and neither of us suffers disgrace."

"Do you think we'll see home soon?" Mara interjected.

"I believe so," I said. "You should be able to contact a Klingon outpost from here and a ship sent to retrieve you in short order."

One of the security guards had been listening to a transmitter fitted into his ear and spoke up, "Sir, all the other pris— uh, Klingon crew have been beamed down."

"Yes, thank you, Ensign," answered the Captain, deliberately ignoring the almost slip of the guard's statement. "Commander Kang, Mara, would you accompany me, please?"

As the two Klingons stepped from the cabin, the security team brought their phasers up to cover them. "Put your weapons away," Kirk said, a little irritably. "They're not going to attack."

With reluctance, the guards stuck their phasers back on their belts and took up their positions behind our small entourage.

"Thank you, Kirk," said Kang rather stiffly as we marched down the hall toward the transporter room. "You are an honorable man."

The Captain's eyes strayed over to the Klingon's stony face but he said nothing. There was nothing to say.

When we reached the transporter room, Kirk punched the intercom button and told Uhura to notify the Verex authorities of the last beaming. Kang and Mara stepped up on the platform and Kirk came over to face them.

"Be of good cheer, Captain," Kang smiled, an expression that was almost mischief on his hard face. "We two shall meet again. Until then, may your triumphs be many and bloody. Farewell, Kirk."

"May you fare well, sir. Ma'am. Energize, Lieutenant."

As the two sparkling images faded from view, the Captain and I turned to go back to our duties on the bridge. I could see that he hadn't expected to be affected by his enemies' departure but clearly was. Ultimately the Klingons were not what we had come to believe.

Enemies ... not for the first time doubt crossed my mind. They were really so much alike, the Humans and the Klingons. Would they really become friends and allies as the Organian had said? I wondered what the future would hold. Perhaps someday there would even be Klingons serving on Federation ships, although that was hard to imagine.

The Captain straightened his shoulders and marched towards the turbolift. "Come on, Spock," he said. "Let's go see if we can find somebody down there with some surplus dilithium to sell."

THE END

 


End file.
